Supertest: British Tier VII Cruiser Surrey

Now that I’m back from my little trip to Prague, it is time to get back to work with the upcoming British heavy cruisers. Today, let’s talk about the Surrey.

HMS Surrey and HMS Northumberland (design Y) were meant to be the successors to the Norfolk sub-class of heavy cruisers. The design was meant to be a 9 900 tons Heavy cruiser armed with 8 203 mm guns in 4 twin turrets and 2 quadruple torpedo launchers. Another design (Design X) was competing with design Y. Design X would have been larger than the design Y with a top speed of 32 knots instead of 30 knots. However, it was less protected with 400 tons less armor.

In the end, the ships were canceled by the government as well as the following designs.

Characteristics

Stock ship

GeneralMain BatterySecondariesTorpedo TubesAir DefenseConsumables

Tier	VII
Health	30 700 HP
Displacement	10 205 tons
Main Armament
Maximum Firing Range	13.470 km
203 mm/50 BL Mk VIII	4 x 2 203 mm
Secondary Armament
Maximum Firing Range	4.500 km
102 mm/45 QF Mk XIX	6 x 2 102 mm
Torpedo Armament
Maximum Firing Range	8.000 km
533 mm QR Mk IV	2 x 4 533 mm
Maximum speed	30 kt
Turning Circle Radius	660 m
Rudder Shift Time	13.1 s
Surface Detectability	11.16 km
Air Detectability	6.26 km
Detectability After Firing Main Gus in Smoke	6.18 km

4 x 2 203 mm/50 BL Mk VIII
Reloading Time	11 s
180 Degree Turn Time	22.5 s
Optimal firing angles at the front	37°
Optimal firing angles at the rear	32°
Sigma	2.00 sigma
Maximum Dispersion	123 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE – 203 mm HE 256 lb
Alpha Damage	2 850 HP
Damage	1 230 HP
Penetration capacity	33 mm
Explosion size	0.86
Fire chance	15 %
Projectile Speed	814 m/s
Air Drag	0.304
Projectile Mass	116.1
Type of Projectile	AP – 203 mm AP 256 lb
Alpha Damage	4 500 HP
Chance to Cause Fire	-0.5 %
Projectile Speed	814 m/s
Air Drag	0.304
Projectile Mass	116.1
Projectile Krupp	2 400
Projectile Detonator	0.033 s
Detonator threshold	34 mm

6 x 2 102 mm/45 QF Mk XIX
Reloading Time	3.0 s
Sigma	1.00 sigma
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE – 102 mm HE 35 lb
Alpha Damage	1 500 HP
Damage	310 HP
HE penetration	16 mm
Explosion Size	0.3
Chance to Cause Fire	6 %
Projectile Speed	811 m/s
Air Drag	0.33
Projectile Mass	15.88

2 x 4 533 mm QR Mk IV 533 mm Mk IX*
Reloading Time	96 s
Maximum Distance	8.0 km
Optimal firing angles at the front	42°
Optimal firing angles at the rear	44°
Damage	15 867
Speed	61 kt
Surface Detectability	1.3 km

6 x 2 102 mm/45 QF Mk XIX
Sector range	0.1 km – 5.8 km
Hit chance	90 %
Sector’s damage	21
Sector’s damage frequency	0.29 s
Sector’s damage per second	74
Flak clouds number	3
Flak cloud damage	1 190
7 x 4 40 mm Vickers 2-pdr. Mk VII
Sector range	0.1 km – 2.5 km
Hit chance	90 %
Sector’s damage	55
Sector’s damage frequency	0.29 s
Sector’s damage per second	193
12 x 1 20 mm Oerlikon Mk IV
Sector range	0.1 km – 2.0 km
Hit chance	85 %
Sector’s damage	29
Sector’s damage frequency	0.29 s
Sector’s damage per second	102

Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Slot 4
Damage Control Party I Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 90 s	Repair Party I Number of charges: 2 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 120 s HP regeneration speed: 0.5% HP/s	Hydroacoustic Search I Number of charges: 2 Work time: 180 s Cooldown: 180 s Torpedo detection range: 3.0 km Ship detection range: 3.0 km	Spotting Aircraft I Number of charges: 3 Work time: 100 s Cooldown: 360 s Bonus: +20% maximum firing range
Damage Control Party II Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 60 s	Repair Party II Number of charges: 3 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration speed: 0.5% HP/s	Hydroacoustic Search II Number of charges: 3 Work time: 180 s Cooldown: 120 s Torpedo detection range: 3.0 km Ship detection range: 3.0 km	Spotting Aircraft II Number of charges: 4 Work time: 100 s Cooldown: 240 s Bonus: +20% maximum firing range

Fully upgraded

GeneralMain BatterySecondariesTorpedo TubesAir DefenseConsumables

Tier	VII
Health	35 300 HP
Displacement	12 995 tons
Main Armament
Maximum Firing Range	14.817 km
203 mm/50 BL Mk VIII	4 x 2 203 mm
Secondary Armament
Maximum Firing Range	4.500 km
102 mm/45 QF Mk XIX	6 x 2 102 mm
Torpedo Armament
Maximum Firing Range	8.000 km
533 mm QR Mk IV	2 x 4 533 mm
Maximum speed	30 kt
Turning Circle Radius	660 m
Rudder Shift Time	9.4 s
Surface Detectability	11.16 km
Air Detectability	6.26 km
Detectability After Firing Main Gus in Smoke	6.18 km

4 x 2 203 mm/50 BL Mk VIII
Reloading Time	11 s
180 Degree Turn Time	22.5 s
Optimal firing angles at the front	37°
Optimal firing angles at the rear	32°
Sigma	2.00 sigma
Maximum Dispersion	123 m
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE – 203 mm HE 256 lb
Alpha Damage	2 850 HP
Damage	1 230 HP
Penetration capacity	33 mm
Explosion size	0.86
Fire chance	15 %
Projectile Speed	814 m/s
Air Drag	0.304
Projectile Mass	116.1
Type of Projectile	AP – 203 mm AP 256 lb
Alpha Damage	4 500 HP
Chance to Cause Fire	-0.5 %
Projectile Speed	814 m/s
Air Drag	0.304
Projectile Mass	116.1
Projectile Krupp	2 400
Projectile Detonator	0.033 s
Detonator threshold	34 mm

6 x 2 102 mm/45 QF Mk XIX
Reloading Time	3.0 s
Sigma	1.00 sigma
Shells
Type of Projectile	HE – 102 mm HE 35 lb
Alpha Damage	1 500 HP
Damage	310 HP
HE penetration	16 mm
Explosion Size	0.3
Chance to Cause Fire	6 %
Projectile Speed	811 m/s
Air Drag	0.33
Projectile Mass	15.88

2 x 4 533 mm QR Mk IV 533 mm Mk IX*
Reloading Time	96 s
Maximum Distance	8.0 km
Optimal firing angles at the front	42°
Optimal firing angles at the rear	44°
Damage	15 867
Speed	61 kt
Surface Detectability	1.3 km

6 x 2 102 mm/45 QF Mk XIX
Sector range	0.1 km – 5.8 km
Hit chance	90 %
Sector’s damage	21
Sector’s damage frequency	0.29 s
Sector’s damage per second	74
Flak clouds number	3
Flak cloud damage	1 190
4 x 8 40 mm Vickers 2-pdr. Mk VIII 4 x 4 40 mm Vickers 2-pdr. Mk VII
Sector range	0.1 km – 2.5 km
Hit chance	90 %
Sector’s damage	72
Sector’s damage frequency	0.29 s
Sector’s damage per second	252
12 x 2 20 mm Oerlikon Mk V
Sector range	0.1 km – 2.0 km
Hit chance	85 %
Sector’s damage	29
Sector’s damage frequency	0.29 s
Sector’s damage per second	165

Slot 1	Slot 2	Slot 3	Slot 4
Damage Control Party I Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 90 s	Repair Party I Number of charges: 2 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 120 s HP regeneration speed: 0.5% HP/s	Hydroacoustic Search I Number of charges: 2 Work time: 180 s Cooldown: 180 s Torpedo detection range: 3.0 km Ship detection range: 3.0 km	Spotting Aircraft I Number of charges: 3 Work time: 100 s Cooldown: 360 s Bonus: +20% maximum firing range
Damage Control Party II Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 60 s	Repair Party II Number of charges: 3 Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration speed: 0.5% HP/s	Hydroacoustic Search II Number of charges: 3 Work time: 180 s Cooldown: 120 s Torpedo detection range: 3.0 km Ship detection range: 3.0 km	Spotting Aircraft II Number of charges: 4 Work time: 100 s Cooldown: 240 s Bonus: +20% maximum firing range

The armor

The Surrey is marking a bit of a turn in the British heavy cruiser line. The Royal Navy apparently understood that it might be better to have heavy cruisers actually able to receive hits from enemy heavy cruiser and for that, a bit more armor would be appreciated.

The bow section

The bow remains the classic 16 mm plating that we see on tier VII cruisers. Just like all the previous ships, it is very long and goes all the way to the forward superstructure.

The upper casemate protecting the middle section is only 19 mm thick and just under it, there is the 16 mm citadel athwartship. These plates are far back in the ship and for the athwartship, it is deep below the water so don’t worry too much about it. Enemy ships will struggle to reach it thanks to its position.

The middle section

The middle section is very short when considering the full length of the ship. The deck is 25 mm which will give the ship the possibility to bounce AP shells of a caliber up to 356 mm. The sides are only 19 mm sadly so any battleship will be able to overmatch them as well as Azuma, Alaska and Kronshtadt (and Siegfried when she will finally be released).

The main belt, that is even shorter than the middle section itself is 152 mm thick. From the top of my head, this is actually the thickest at this tier for a cruiser.

Forward of the main belt, the citadel goes down below the waterline and the plating linking the 2 parts is 140 mm thick just like the rear athwartship.

For the horizontal protection, it is surprisingly thick with 102 mm of armor for the raised part. The underwater part is however very thin with 16 mm on the side and 25 mm at the center. Now… the section might be deep enough for AP bombs to detonate before reaching it.

The stern section

The stern has the classic 16 mm plating. Except that, the upper casemate protecting the middle section is 19 mm thick. For the citadel athwartship, as I showed above, it’s 140 mm thick for the exposed part and 16 mm below water.

The superstructure

The superstructure is 13 mm thick, the standard protection at tier VII. It’s also way more compact that than the superstructure of the Devonshire.

The turrets

The turrets remain the same as those found on the Devonshire, London or Exeter. They are entirely protected by 25 mm of armor and the barbette as well. HE from cruisers will be able to cripple these turrets.

Personal Opinion

The Surrey is, for now, a bit disappointing. The limited range is starting to be a massive issue since you can end up against tier IX ships. The armor looks at least effective against enemy battleships due to the very small citadel so it will be an overpenetration fiesta but if it’s not the case… back to port.

The terrible speed is also worth mentioning since the ship is taking the spot of the slowest tier VII cruiser.

As a side note, there seems to be an issue with her long-range anti-air that is weaker with 50% more guns than Devonshire’s long-range anti-air. The same goes for her secondaries range that has a shorter range (4.5 km) than the Devonshire with 5.0km.

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Yuzorah

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